2019 NFC East Fantasy Football Preview
With training camps kicking off soon, we will be previewing key questions for every team across the league with the goal of helping fantasy football owners formulate winning strategies. The next stop on our journey takes us to the NFC East, where Philadelphia and Dallas will battle for first place. At the other end of the spectrum, the Giants and Redskins hope their rookie quarterbacks represent a better future. Here is my NFC East fantasy football preview. Enjoy.
Dallas Cowboys
Zeke’s Handcuff
Durability and Ezekiel Elliott go together as well as Texas and barbecue. The only reason Zeke has missed time was due to a suspension in 2017. He nearly ran afoul of the long arm of the NFL law again recently, but dodged a bullet. While NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reprimanded Elliott for an incident in Las Vegas, he did not hand down a suspension.
But what if Elliott does something warranting further discipline and ends up missing time? What if his long-term relationship with durability hits the skids? Fantasy general managers will need help. Help can come in the form of a handcuff. Who would that handcuff be?
In this case, it may be handcuffs. The Cowboys drafted Tony Pollard and Mike Weber in April’s draft and while Pollard will have the higher initial profile in the Dallas offense due to his receiving prowess, Weber may be the better suited of the duo for a larger workload. An overly simplistic view might point to Pollard as a better PPR option and Weber the better standard bet. That would mean neither would stand head and shoulders over the other…right now. Camp and preseason will foreshadow who you want to target if you land Zeke.
Back to the Future
In a galaxy not so far away (2014), Randall Cobb racked up 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns. Also in 2014, Jason Witten did not have a career season, but notched 703 yards and five scores. They led many fantasy teams to glory. However, the NFL world changes rapidly. Most view both players now as spare parts. Will they prove the critics wrong?
Cobb will line up in the slot and essentially take over Cole Beasley’s role in the Dallas attack. Beasley’s best season with the Cowboys came in 2016, with 75 receptions for 833 yards and five touchdowns. Beasley got a boost as Dez Bryant missed three games. Plus, the other main wide receiver was unremarkable Terrance Williams. The presence of established Amari Cooper and emerging Michael Gallup curtails Cobb’s target potential. Ironically, Cobb has a higher ADP than Gallup at Fantasy Football Calculator. Yet, we have Gallup much higher in our rankings. Not to say Cobb needs to be ignored entirely, but let someone else go for “name” while you go for “game” on draft day.
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Witten returns to the Cowboys after a season in the Monday Night Football booth. Many fans really missed Witten the player. Few will miss the broadcaster who said he pulled a rabbit out of his head. The temptation to take Witten, for many, will be greater than taking a flyer on Cobb. After all, tight end looms as more of a trouble spot than wide receiver. However, Witten will not have the large role he had before. A part-time, past his prime Witten belongs on the fantasy waiver wire. As with Cobb, be happy if one of your rivals opts to be unwise with Witten.
New York Giants
Eventual End of the Eli Era
Some of you reading this must be thinking “oh no, not again.” Here comes another passage about fading Eli Manning and when the Giants will finally pull the plug. What exactly does this have to do with fantasy football? Your brain says that even in a 2QB league, you would have to be desperate to start Eli. And if you have dynasty on your brain, Daniel Jones represents an acceptable thought, but his redraft value is nil.
However, this real-life big NFL story has fantasy merit. How can you profit from New York’s mess? First, if you stream defenses, the Giants offense will be a target to take advantage of regularly. If you elect to try to use one defense, Dallas and Philadelphia gain value. Although, one of Philadelphia’s games with the Giants is in Week 17. Most leagues have already held their title game by then. Additionally, Eli hanging onto the job for most of the season might be desirable, as you will see below.
Catch It Like Beckham
Although Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram lack the talent of departed Odell Beckham, they have history with Manning. Newcomer Golden Tate gives New York another reliable option to help pick up the slack. While Saquon Barkley will be Mr. Everything for the Giants, the other components can provide positive returns for your team. The New York defense lacks bite, so there will be garbage time chances if nothing else.
And even though Eli looks finished, he managed 4,299 yards in 2018. How much more can he truly decline? As long as Manning maintains the job, he will ensure that Engram will be a TE1. He will keep Shepard in the WR3 fringes. Tate would at least warrant a roster spot on fantasy teams.
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However, once Jones takes over, all bets are off. Who will be his favorite receiver? Would he focus his attention on one player? How much will he struggle at first? The uncertainty could crush the value of anyone on the Giants beyond the untouchable Barkley. If you feel Jones would be an overnight sensation, you can ignore these concerns. Otherwise, Eli may be bad at this stage of his career, but it could be worse.
Philadelphia Eagles
Backfield Clarity for the Birds?
Philadelphia head coach Doug Pederson likes using multiple backs. The odds of anyone emerging as a Christian McCaffrey-like workhorse are minuscule. But a potentially shrinking committee means higher ceilings for a pair of players new to Philly.
Coming over in a trade, Jordan Howard gets a fresh start after a down season in Chicago. Miles Sanders stays in the Quaker State, arriving as a second-round pick from Penn State. Last season, five running backs earned significant playing time for the Eagles. Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles have departed, while Josh Adams, Corey Clement, and Wendell Smallwood remain. The trio of returnees offers less than Howard and Sanders and odds are against all three staying on the roster.
Sidelined during OTAs, Sanders will play catch up at camp. While still easily owning the highest potential of anyone on the Philadelphia roster, if his hamstring injury lingers, it would open the door for one of the holdovers to stay around and earn reps. Given Howard’s limitation as a receiver, it would probably be Clement or Smallwood. In the end, Howard has value as the most likely goal line back. It will be up to Sanders to make this a two-man backfield. As long as that happens, the narrow Eagles backfield offers plenty of potential.
Stay Healthy, Carson
With Nick Foles now in Jacksonville, Carson Wentz’s health takes on extra importance. Current backup Nate Sudfeld has 25 pass attempts in two years. With Foles, anyone drafting Zach Ertz or Alshon Jeffery was confident they would be okay if something happened to Wentz. Sudfeld could sink the ship. But let’s be positive. What if Wentz’s health woes are finally behind him? He constitutes one of the biggest potential steals on draft day. Currently the ninth QB off the board at Fantasy Football Calculator, Wentz falling further in your league would not be a shock. With DeSean Jackson back in Philadelphia and joining Jeffery, Ertz, and Dallas Goedert, the grill sizzles at the Upside Café.
Fortunately, Wentz warrants lighter analysis than most. If the vital signs are positive in the preseason, that’s really all you need to know. Good health means a great shot at recapturing his superstar 2017 form.
Washington Redskins
Guice + Bryce Future vs. Peterson Present
Had Derrius Guice not suffered a torn ACL, the Adrian Peterson revival tour probably would not have happened. Guice was a touted rookie from LSU and Peterson was assumed finished. But the Redskins bet on the veteran and were rewarded with 1,250 total yards and eight touchdowns. Was it a last hurrah for Peterson? Washington anticipates Guice’s return and drafted Bryce Love out of Stanford.
However, Love may be unavailable for awhile as he recovers from his own torn ACL. Some speculation indicates Guice’s recovery has not progressed as much as Washington would like. That would again leave Peterson in a lead role, with Chris Thompson still involved in passing situations. Our composite rankings have the talented Guice with a wide lead on Peterson. Guice’s ADP at Fantasy Football Calculator is also considerably higher than Peterson’s. Provided Guice proves his health, expect those variances to hold. If not, we may see one more run from the future Hall of Famer. Either way, tracking Washington’s backfield ought to be a big priority for fantasy coaches.
Will Haskins Start Week One?
If there was a temp agency that placed NFL quarterbacks, Case Keenum and Colt McCoy would frequently find themselves with assignments. Both have been occasional starters or caretakers and enjoyed some moments of glory. Keenum authored the Minnesota Miracle and McCoy beat New England as Cleveland’s starter back in 2010. While Washington seems happy to have both, they want a long-term hire behind center. Enter Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins.
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Disenchanted Washington fans hope that Haskins represents the hero the franchise has needed for quite some time. Having started only one year in Columbus, the Redskins can bring him along slowly thanks to Keenum and McCoy. But will they surrender to temptation and throw their first-round pick into the fire? The Redskins open with Philadelphia, Dallas, and Chicago. In Week Five, New England comes to town. After the duel with the Patriots, things lighten up with Miami and San Francisco.
If I was Washington, I would keep Haskins on the sidelines for awhile. Rough opponents and a weak supporting cast represent a recipe for disaster. They also represent an opportunity for team defenses to rack up points against the Redskins. Still, when Haskins inevitably gets the job, he will have the stability to at least offer something in 2QB leagues. Fellow rookie Terry McLaurin, who played with Haskins at Ohio State, becomes an immediate sleeper once Haskins starts.
